NAIROBI, Kenya — Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, co-chair of the National Funeral Committee overseeing the burial of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has strongly condemned the use of force and tear gas against mourners during the public viewing exercise on Thursday.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Mr. Oginga—Raila’s elder brother—expressed profound disappointment over the chaotic scenes at Kasarani Stadium, urging security officers to maintain restraint and allow citizens to grieve peacefully.
The Senator’s remarks followed reports that police had fired tear gas canisters and live bullets to manage surging crowds near the Presidential Pavilion entrance on Thursday, an incident that tragically resulted in at least three fatalities and multiple injuries.
Oburu emphasized the indignity of deploying tear gas during the final rites for a man who spent his life fighting for democratic freedoms under similar conditions.
“I would like to express my disappointment that yesterday there was some tear gas which was thrown around. I really don’t like tear gas. Raila should not be teargassed in death. He was teargassed when he was alive; please, let us not cause a situation where he is teargassed again when we are escorting him,” he stated.
He further criticized the necessity of force against citizens who were simply paying their last respects.
“Let us behave in a way that does not give any reason for tear gassing or using force against our innocent people. They have come to mourn, and they should be allowed to mourn peacefully. Please, that is the only appeal I would like to make to our people,” he added.
An appeal for dignity and calm
Senator Oginga appealed directly to mourners to maintain calm, acknowledging their deep pain while stressing that the moment required dignity and restraint.
“I also want to take this opportunity to appeal and plead with my people to be peaceful. I know the pain you feel; you feel as much as all of us do, but this is not the time to do anything that could cause harm or instability among our people,” he cautioned.
He concluded with a plea for a respectful send-off: “We want to behave with dignity. We want our people to respect this occasion because Raila loved them so much, and they should also treat his send-off with a lot of restraint. Let us mourn in peace, escort our brother in peace, and let his soul also lie in peace.”
Funeral logistics update
The co-chair of the funeral committee, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, assured the public that subsequent events would be managed with dignity and peace.
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“We are happy the second day has come to an end, and we are praying and pleading that tomorrow (Saturday) will be even better. We will dignify our leader, respect our leader, and mourn in dignity,” Kindiki stated.
He confirmed the next steps in the process, noting that the body of the former Prime Minister would be airlifted by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to Mamboleo Grounds in Kisumu at approximately 8:00 am on Saturday, October 18.
Members of the public are requested to be settled by 7:00 am to dignify the arrival of the leader’s remains.
After public viewing throughout the day, the body will be transported to Bondo for an overnight stay ahead of the private burial on Sunday, October 19, 2025.